Hearing
of a case of illegal acquisition of wealth and money laundering to the
tune of N1.1billion involving Shamsudeen Bala-Mohammed, a son of a
former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Bala Mohammed got
underway on Thursday, November 9, 2017 with the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission, EFCC, presenting its first witness, Ishaya Dauda,
before Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court sitting in
Maitama, Abuja.

Samsudeen, who was re-arraigned on May 30, 2017,
on an amended 15-count of money laundering and false declaration of
assets, is facing trial alongside four other companies: Bird Trust Argo
Limited, Intertrans Global Logistics Limited, Diakin Telecommunications
Limited and Bal-Vac Mining Nigeria Limited.

The ex-minister's son
among other things allegedly involved in cash payments above statutory
limit for the construction and purchase of properties in various parts
of Abuja.

He allegedly paid various cash sums of money beyond the
limit set by the Money Laundering Act for the purchase of houses
without going through a financial institution.

Dauda, an
operative of the EFCC, while being led in evidence by the Ben Ikani gave
a blow-by-blow account of how Samsudeen paid a cumulative sum of
N1.1billion to buy different properties in choice areas of Abuja, using
names of different companies.

According to the PW1, “the
Commission stumbled on the various offences committed by Shamsudeen in
the course of investigating his father, Mohammed”.

The witness
also revealed how the sums of N580,000 and $60,000 were recovered from
Shamsudeen’s residence during execution of a search warrant.

“I
know the defendant. In the course of investigating a case assigned to me
against the former FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, we received an
additional intelligence concerning purchases of properties by the
defendant within the FCT.

“We
extended our investigation to the Corporate Affairs Commission. We
confirmed that the companies were registered with the CAC.

“We
invited the lawyers that registered these companies by name Ishiaku
Shuaibu, who confirmed that he registered those companies.

“Our
investigation was extended to Abuja Investments Development Company,
where the General Manager, Dr. Musa Musa, and the company secretary,
Salisu Abdusalam, were invited to our office.

“Their statements
were taken concerning the purchase of properties by the defendant using
Diakin Telecommunications Ltd., and Balbac Minning Nigeria Ltd., which
they confirmed.

“They said he brought cash to their office. He
bought the properties from the Abuja Development Investments Company.
The properties are located in Apo Area of Abuja.

“Another
property that was purchased by the defendant is at 7, Gana Street,
Maitama, Abuja. He brought cash in company with a lady by name, Maimuna
Aliyu Sanda.

“Together they took this cash to the developer, by
name, Farouk Saleh. The cash was in dollars, they told me. But the worth
of the property was N210m.

“Another property was purchased at
Sunrise Hill, Asokoro. The defendant made lodgment of N80million to the
then managing director of the company. The MD, Sami Apougaoude, a
Lebanese is late now. Then the defendant contacted a company, K & K
Construction Company, to build the said property.

“He again made a
cash lodgment of N100million to Sunrise Hill in error which was then
transferred to K&K Construction Company into their Zenith Bank
account. He then made a cash lodgment of N110million to K&K
directly.
“Again, he made a lodgment of N200million to K&K Construction Company.

“All these lodgments were made in the name of the Birtrus Agro Allied Limited.

“The last time he made lodgment to K&K Construction company was N296million”, Dauda stated.

The
statements made by the defendant and the asset declaration form
completed by him were tendered and admitted as exhibits as Chris Uche,
SAN, representing the defendant raised no objection to the admissibility
of the documents.